How to choose a laminate
When arranging your own home, you want to do everything not only beautifully, but also practically. Many people choose laminate as a floor covering. Let's look at all the intricacies of choosing this material.
Types of laminate
Laminate floor coverings are available for sale in a variety of textures, shades and patterns. In addition to the usual structure of wood of various types, you can also find laminate with imitation tiles or stone. In addition, laminate is divided by the number of strips. Three-strip laminate looks like parquet and is suitable for small rooms. Two-strip laminate looks like a classic floorboard. For large rooms it is more convenient to use single-strip laminate.
The surface of the laminate can also be different. It may have a glossy shine or imitation of rough wood. Laminate flooring, treated to resemble natural wood, has small grooves that follow the classic structure of wood. Gloss laminate has a smooth, waxed exterior with an oil or varnish applied.
Depending on the purpose of the room where the laminate will be used, the following wear resistance classes can be distinguished:
- Class 33 laminate has the greatest wear resistance. It is used in rooms where there are a lot of people. Typically these are industrial and commercial premises.
- For offices and conference rooms, less resistant coatings of class 32 or 31 are used. This laminate also withstands water and scratches well.
- For residential premises use a coating with wear resistance of 23, 22 or 21 classes. At the same time, class 21 laminate is used in dry rooms with little traffic, for example, in bedrooms.
Advantages of laminate
The positive aspects of using laminate in renovation include, first of all, its relatively low cost compared to solid wood or ceramic tiles. Laminate flooring can withstand significant mechanical stress. For example, after heavy objects fall on it or are exposed to high temperatures, the laminate will remain the same. Prolonged and intense mechanical impact and friction will also not cause harm to such a coating.
Laminate flooring is easy to install. After a detailed study of the installation instructions, even a novice builder can handle installing a laminate flooring. This is also facilitated by all kinds of fastening systems built into laminate boards. To install laminate flooring, you often do not need any additional materials. Often, the underside of laminate boards has a soundproofing coating already attached to them, so nothing else is needed for installation.
An undoubted advantage is the wide selection of textures, colors and patterns of laminate boards. In addition to the usual structure of wood or stone, you can now see on sale laminate with floral patterns, images of fruits, newspaper textures, and others.
Look after It's very easy to use this type of coating. Modern laminate may even have a special antistatic coating that repels dust. It can even be cleaned with special chemicals and any spots. Laminate boards are not afraid of sunlight, do not darken or fade.
Cons of laminate
Like any other building material, laminate is not without its drawbacks. Fortunately, the list of such is small and, with some precautions, can be completely reduced to a minimum.
Do not allow moisture to get under the laid laminate flooring. This may cause the board to swell. In many ways, resistance to water depends on the quality of the laminate board. Therefore, you should not skimp on a good coating; it is better to buy material from a trusted manufacturer.
Another disadvantage is the need to replace an entire laminate board or even several pieces if for some reason the coating is damaged. Therefore, when buying laminate, take a few more pieces than you need. This way you can easily and simply replace the damaged part. After all, even with the same color, laminate from different batches may have a difference in shade.
Laying laminate flooring requires good preparation of the subfloor. It should be perfectly smooth. Otherwise, you risk ending up with a crooked and squeaky floor.
How to choose laminate
Floors made of laminated materials are environmentally friendly. Therefore, you should not fear for your health with such flooring. Even for residential premises, we advise you to purchase a laminated coating of at least class 31. In an apartment, such a laminate will serve you for many years, which will ultimately recoup its cost several times over. The markings on its packaging will tell you about the features of a particular laminate:
The thickness of the laminate board can be different and ranges from 6 mm to 12 mm. Give preference to thicker laminates. It is stronger and easier to install. In addition, thickness also affects the sound-absorbing properties of the floor. Buy coating only from proven and well-established manufacturers. They usually guarantee their product for at least 20 years. Such manufacturers include Pergo, Tarkett and others. And Alloc laminate generally has a lifetime warranty.
Flooring panels can be connected using glue or special locks. The first option is lower cost and more moisture resistant. But at the same time, such coating requires special skills when laying. In addition, coating elements connected with glue cannot be replaced.
Laminate with a locking joint is easier to install and can be repaired, but such a coating requires a perfectly prepared surface with a curvature of no more than 3 mm per meter of floor.
Pay attention to the substrate used during installation. Most often, a polyethylene foam backing is used. It is low cost and easy to use. But over time, such a substrate sags and loses its shape. For good thermal insulation, it is better to use a cork backing. It lasts a long time without losing its shape. Its disadvantage is the possibility of condensation formation. This drawback can be solved by using a cork backing with rubber or bitumen. It will absorb well and last a long time.
